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Sikh News French 'Religious Symbol' Ban

S|kH

SPNer
Jul 11, 2004
380
29
38
We Are PENN STATE!!
This ban is ridiculous.

Post all related links here, or newest information when it comes.

Am I the only one that feels worthless?
Sikhs in France are in deep trouble, and I can't do anything at all?
I often dreamt of an opportunity to stand up, and fight.

The world is wierd man, we have kids who cut their hair here (U.S.) for girls, and then we have kids in France who would give up education to keep it.

Anyone else feel useless? :(
 

anders

SPNer
Jul 13, 2004
51
13
80
Sweden
Starting with http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=97576, there is a (currently) 7 page discussion on the ban, mainly centering on Muslims.

It should be noted that the ban only relates to public schools. If I have understood it correctly, Sikhs may be granted exemption. Probably, few persons of school age will be inititates, so a keski could well be tolerated. Personally, I think that the French have some good reasons for the ban, but I think that the Sikh use of the turban should be allowed.
 
Jun 1, 2004
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Do not get disheartend dear S|kh, Sikhism has passed many a such tests of times. This would be no exception.

In my views, ban on religious symbols is sheer cowardice... I wonder, how they are going to control terrorism by disallowing religious symbols...? the people, who indulge in acts of cowardice ie. terrorism do not appear in public in religious symbols... look at the images of terrorists in that russian school, such people do it under veils... they have got no religion... rather i think religious symbols should made compulsory so that a person adhering to a particular faith is easily identifiable but that should not entitle him to persecution for just being a adherant of that religion say islam... thats stupity...

Anyways banning religious symbols is a sheer act of cowardice or enforced terrorism on the people who have nothing to do with it...

Shame on French people who support for such a act cowardice...


Regards
 
Sep 2, 2004
14
1
74
Midlands,UK
The French think it is good to separate state from religion.But they have to learn(sooner or later)that a state run by sound religious principles is a healthier government and ensures good governance.This is a case that has to be calmly argued without getting emotional.The French are really very lost people,they have to be taught and convinced in the right light.They desperately need the Light of Guru Nanak Sahib.Presence of Khalsa in France means the French are going to be blessed by Waheguru.Even if they have to learn the hard way.
 

S|kH

SPNer
Jul 11, 2004
380
29
38
We Are PENN STATE!!
This ban is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

What the hell constitutes a religious symbol?

"Large Christian crucifixes" are banned?...
suppose I pray to fish and i wear an emblem of a fish on my neck...is that going to be banned?

Suppose I worship money...then will cash/money be banned?

Suppose I worship the football team, then will their logo/hat be banned?

French should stick with their original game plan,

SHUT UP AND SURRENDER.
 
Jun 1, 2004
3,007
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An Update :

Controversy over turban issue over: French envoy
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
Posted online: Friday, September 17, 2004 at 0130 hours IST



NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 16: French envoy to India, Domnique Girard, today said the row between the Sikh community and the French government over the ban on students wearing turbans to shools has been resolved.

In his letter to Tarlochan Singh, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Girard says majority of the Sikh students had returned to school ‘‘without any difficulty’’. It adds that barring three cases, Sikh students had been offered alternatives to the pagri and they had expressed their satisfaction over it.

The envoy said the government was trying to pursue the ‘‘path of dialogue to settle the cases of the three students who are apprently unhappy with the ban’’. The letter adds: ‘‘Whatever the outcome of this dialogue, you can be assured that those students would be offered solutions to continue their studies within the French education system.”
 

Living Mind

SPNer
Sep 20, 2004
12
3
79
Singapore
I feel that the Sikhs have been caught in the web which was not really created for them but for the muslims and for very evident reasons which is to prevent their dress code to be used by terrorists to bring-in bombs. We have to agree this worry is genuine and I feel that we Sikhs will have to accept it and go about with use of a Keshki. After all the ruling is supposed to be mandated for Public schools only. The turban can still be used anywhere else. Unreasonable as it might look and sound, let's face it is not directed at the Sikhs as was Indra Gandhi's Operation Blue Star.
 
Jul 13, 2004
2,364
382
52
Canada
Somehow I beg to differ from 'Living Mind' about Keski as a suitable remedy. Though caught in web, but finally it is an interference with freedom of religion. Any trend setter like this is good enuf to expand horizons to next levels, in different countries. And I guess, the ban applies to Govt offices as well.

And interesting that, no 911 or russian attacks were performed by religious looking guys!
 
Jun 1, 2004
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Sikh students can wear patka, says French envoy
Tripti Nath
Tribune News Service


New Delhi, September 22
Taking serious note of the resistance of the Sikh community to the ban on wearing ostentatious religious symbols in public primary and high schools in France, the French government has decided to allow Sikh boys enrolled in these schools to wear discreet ‘patka’.

Ambassador of France to India dominique Girard told TNS here on Wednesday that the Ministry of National Education of France has proposed that the Sikh boys enrolled in these schools wear ‘discreet patka’ instead of turbans or study the same syllabus by correspondence. They can even choose to study in a private school.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040923/main4.htm
 
Jun 1, 2004
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France to permit Sikh students to wear headgear: PM


Saturday, 25 September , 2004, 08:14

New York: France has agreed to allow the Sikh students in that country to wear a particular type of headgear, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.
At a press conference in New York, Singh said he had instructed National Security Adviser J N Dixit to take up at the highest level the issue of Sikh students not being

Full Article... http://sify.com/news/othernews/fullstory.php?id=13574865
 

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